farm planning at lowcountry local first

Daniel Parson Oxford College Farm Oxford, GA

Whole Farm Planning

[email protected] 404.452.4321

oxford.emory.edu/organic-farm/

near Covington-Porterdale — Oxford

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Whole Farm Planning

The Business of Farming

Field Planning and Rotations

Essential Tools and Equipment


The Business of Farming



Crop Planning Budget

Production Annual Profit and Loss

Marketing



Marketing

Good Record Keeping is Essential at Every Station

Marketing Dictates

•  Farmers� Markets •  On-Farm Sales •  Community Supported Agriculture

(CSA) •  Restaurants •  Wholesale to grocery •  Coop/Buying club

Marketing

•  Do your research--money talks

•  How much can you sell each week? •  Does demand meet seasonal supply? •  Are you competitive? •  Do better prices justify marketing

expenses?

Farmers Markets

•  Retail without the overhead •  Established markets make a

difference •  May take 2-3 years to hit your stride •  Collective marketing among growers •  Count on weekly attendance

CSA

•  Financing the season up front •  Planning of customer numbers/budget •  Don�t try this your first year •  Lower costs/possible to avoid

transportation •  At or close to retail

Restaurants

•  Chefs may over-commit •  Busiest during winter •  Chefs know good food •  Established restaurants know what

they use and spend •  Can you do flowers or offer something

special?

Wholesale

•  Verify amounts and prices •  You are marketing to store AND

customers •  Can you profit at their prices? •  Will the store promote your product?

Expenses •  Automobile •  Insurance •  Repair and

maintenance •  Beekeeping •  Travel •  Continuing

education

•  Dues and subscriptions

•  Fuel •  Tools •  Land •  Marketing •  Office/office

equipment

Expenses-Production •  Seeds •  Fertilizer •  Greenhouse •  Irrigation •  Potting soil

•  Mulch •  Cover crop seeds •  Mushroom supplies •  Seedlings

Expenses-Labor

•  Pay yourself monthly! •  Full time help •  Interns--follow minimum wage laws •  Seasonal help

– Hourly – Summer interns

•  May be 50%-67% of total budget

Record Keeping

•  Incorporate as LLC or Corporation •  Open a business checking account •  Pay with checks or card •  Don�t use for personal expenses •  Keep the business at arm�s length

Record Keeping

•  Follow your plan •  Keep business records

– Receipts: inputs and expenses – Customers: invoices, checks

•  Keep a journal •  Update your planning sheets

Record Keeping

•  Excel is fine •  Quickbooks is the best!

– Categorize expenses/incomes –  Input receipts/deposits weekly – Reconcile with banking monthly – Evaluate as needed



Marketing


Field Planning and Rotations



Certified Organic

�The producer must manage crop nutrients and soil fertility through rotations, cover crops, and the application of plant and animal

materials�

Fertility Management

Weed Management

Natural Enemy Habitat

Buckwheat Blooming

Syrphid Flies

Disease Management

Disease Control

•  Break the cycle of soil-borne disease •  Keep disease from building up •  Increase beneficial microorganisms •  Pathogens with limited host range •  Pathogens without airborne spores

Diseases Poorly Controlled

•  Damping off •  Verticillium wilt (300+ susceptible) •  Anthracnose - beans, cukes, peppers •  Fusarium - tomatoes, peas, melons,

dahlias •  Root knot nematodes - corn, lettuce,

tomatoes

How to Design a Rotation

•  Measure and map your fields •  Divide into equal-sized ‘rotational

units’ •  Group cash crops: family, seasonality •  Create rotational plan outline •  Fill in with cover crops •  Create detailed field plan

225

Feet

22

5 Fe

et

225

Feet

325 Feet 212 Feet

3

2

1

4

5

6

7

8

11

12

10

9

13

Plant Families •  Cucurbitaceae - squash, melons,

cucumbers, lufa, pumpkins, •  Solanaceae - tomato, pepper, eggplant,

potato •  Convolvulaceae - sweet potato •  Malvaceae - okra, cotton •  Asteraceae - lettuce, sunflower, endive •  Chenopodiaceae - spinach, beet, chard

Plant Families •  Brassicaceae - cabbage, broccoli,

cauliflower, collards, kale, brussel sprouts, arugula, boc choi

•  Apiaceae - carrot, celery, fennel, cilantro •  Fabaceae - snap beans, peas •  Lilliaceae - garlic, onion •  Poaceae - rye, oats, sudangrass

Timing of Crop

•  Planting through harvest •  Over-wintering or perennial •  Consider double cropping •  Cover crops and incorporation

Spring and Fall

•  Carrots and Beets •  Broccoli •  Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Kale •  Potatoes (Spring only) •  Arugula, Turnips, Lettuce, etc.

Summer

•  Beans and Flowers •  Peppers and Eggplant •  Cucumbers and Squash •  Tomatoes •  Sweet Potatoes •  Okra •  Melons

Overwintering

•  Garlic •  Various Cover Crops

Arrange Crops

•  Note-card method •  Blank grid method: column names

– Field Number – Crops and Cover Crops – Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall

3

2

1

4

5

6

7

8

11

12

10

9

13

Field Crop Season

Winter

1 Broccoli Spring

Soybeans/Buckwheat Summer

Carrots and Beets Fall

Rye Aisles Winter

2 Potatoes Spring

Sudex/Soybeans Summer

Garlic Fall

Winter

3 Spring

Late Flowers/Beans Summer

Wheat/Crimson Clover Fall

Winter

4 Spring

Okra Summer

Rye/Hairy Vetch Fall

Winter

5 Spring

Peppers/Eggplant Summer

Oats/Winter Peas Fall

Winter

6 Arugula and Lettuce Spring


Cabbage and Kale Fall

Rye/Crimson Clover Winter

7 Cucumbers/Squash Spring

Summer

Oats/Winter Peas Fall

Winter

8 Carrots and Beets Spring


Broccoli Fall

Rye/Clover Winter

9 Sweet Potatoes Spring

Oats and Clover Summer

Fall

Winter

10 Cabbage and Kale Spring

Buckwheat Summer

Arugula and Lettuce Fall

Wheat Aisles and Crimson Clover Winter

11 Spring

Early Flowers and Beans Summer

Rye and Hairy Vetch Fall

Winter

12 Spring

Melons Summer

Rye and Crimson Clover Fall

Winter

13 Tomatoes Spring

Oats and Winter Peas Summer

Fall

Field Rotation Plan 2012

Vari

ety

Cro

p

Fie

ld

Date

-Seed

ing

Est

Date

-Seed

ing

Act

ual

Days

SD

to

TD

Date

-Tra

nsp

lan

t Est

Date

-Tra

nsp

lan

t A

ctu

al

Days

to H

arv

est

Date

-Harv

est

Est

Date

-Harv

est

Act

ual

Batavia Broccoli 10 28 28 56 60 116Belstar Broccoli 10 28 28 56 65 121Chioggia Beets 5 49 55 104

Vari

ety

Cro

p

# o

f B

ed

s

Act

ual B

ed

s

Ro

wfe

et

Feet

per

Ou

nce

# s

eed

s p

er

foo

t

Pla

nts

/ F

oo

t

# o

f R

ow

s /

Bed

Batavia Broccoli 3 600 0.667 2Belstar Broccoli 3 600 0.667 2Chioggia Beets 2 600 150 14.66666667 3

Vari

ety

Cro

p

# o

f P

lan

ts

Fla

t S

ize

# o

f Fla

ts

# o

f S

eed

s

# o

f S

eed

s /

Oz

Ou

nce

s o

f S

eed

Batavia Broccoli 400.2 72 7 1008 6000 0.168Belstar Broccoli 400.2 72 7 1008 6000 0.168Chioggia Beets 8800 2200 4


Essential Tools and Equipment



Greenhouse

Irrigation

•  What are your needs? •  Understand flow vs. pressure •  Drip systems

– Low pressure – Half the water of overhead – Does a better job for vegetables

Irrigation: Drip Systems

Equipment: Planting

Equipment: Harvest

Used -------------- New •  Lower initial cost •  Higher repair costs •  Your time is

valuable •  Greater breakdown

potential •  Best if you can

repair it

•  Years trouble-free •  Warranty •  Maintenance

counts! •  Local dealer/repair •  Options tailored to

your operation •  Best if you can

afford it

Realistic Maintenance •  Winter Overhaul

– Change oil – Change filters – Adjust settings, clean anything you can

•  Check oil every time •  Change oil at least once during

season •  Adjust and tighten often •  Fix problems ASAP

Equipment Safety

•  Read your operator�s/owner�s manual--seriously

•  Properly maintain equipment •  Don�t disable safety features--really,

don�t •  Wear well-fitting long pants, shirt •  Use ear protection, safety glasses

Equipment Sources

•  Bother your local tractor dealer •  www.earthtoolsbcs.com •  www.marketfarm.com •  www.ferrari-tractors.com •  Johnny�s Selected Seeds •  Peaceful Valley Farm Supply


Whole Farm Planning



farm planning at lowcountry local first

Food